Coffee and a Kiss
by luv2read134
Summary: EPOV of "A Kiss with a Side of Fries". All Edward wants is a cup of coffee. He walks into a McDonald's and sees a beautiful brown-haired girl behind the counter. Add spilled fries, a fat lady, and a lot of chemistry, and you get one hot kiss. Now Extended
1. Chapter 1

**Here it is! Enjoy!**

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I glanced at the street before me. My adoptive brothers and sisters were supposed to meet me here so we could spend the weekend at my parents' house, but they hadn't shown up. I people-watched for a while, but grew bored of it easily. I wasn't the most patient person. I tapped my foot incessantly, looked at my watch, and sighed. Just then, my phone rang. I glanced at the caller ID and picked up.

"Emmett, where are you guys?"

"Sorry bro, we got held up. We won't be able to make it today. How about next week?"

"NO!" came Alice's shrill voice. "It's going to snow next week! How are we supposed to shop and hunt and meet mom and dad in the snow?"

"Snow? Seriously, Alice? It's September!" Rosalie exclaimed.

"Trust me, I know!"

"Okay, okay, Alice," Jasper's voice soothed. "When will we go?"

"Weekend after next! It'll be perfect!"

"Okay guys, weekend after next it is."

"Fine. See you then," I said.

"Bye Edward!" they chorused. I chuckled and was about to end the call when Alice's voice rang out.

"Oh, and Edward, keep your eyes peeled. You're going to meet someone special today!"

Before I could ask what she meant, she had hung up. I just shook my head and chuckled. That was Alice for you.

I decided to grab a coffee on my way home. I glanced around, but couldn't see any coffee places. "Where are all the Starbucks when you need them?" I grumbled.

I was still looking when I saw a McDonalds. They sold coffee – it'd have to do.

I trudged into the restaurant, which was completely empty except for a girl behind the counter. Her head was inclined and she was staring off into space, so all I could see of her was the long, graceful column of her neck. I cleared my throat.

"Miss!" I waved my hand in front of her face. "Miss!"

Her head snapped up, and the first things I saw were her deep chocolate brown eyes. My breath caught in my throat, and I took in the rest of her face. She had long flowing brown hair and plump, pink, utterly kissable lips. As I was taking in her appearance, they most delicious-looking pink color spread across her cheeks. She shifted her hair over her shoulder, and the action sent a wave of freesia to me. I inhaled; the scent was absolutely mouthwatering.

"Oh, sorry, sir! You caught me daydreaming."

The sound of her voice left me speechless – it was the sweetest thing I had ever heard. _Focus!_ I told myself. I listened to her and grimaced slightly at the word 'sir'. She couldn't have been much younger than me.

"Don't worry about it. And please call me Edward. 'Sir' makes me feel, I don't know, really old."

She giggled at me, and I smiled at the sound. "Whatever you say, _Edward_. Now, can I help you?" The sound of my name from her lips sent a shock through me. I could see this girl was different from others – no one had ever made me feel like this.

_Yeah, I can think of some ways you can_ _**help**__ me…_

"Yes, I'd like a cup of coffee. Black."

"Coming right up, si – Edward."

She turned to fill my order, and I immediately felt a pang of loss at not being able to see her beautiful face. It hit me that I didn't even know her name.

"So, who are you?"

"Excuse me?"

"Well, you know my name. It's only fair I know yours."

"Bella."

I smiled. Bella. Beautiful. It fit perfectly.

"Bella. Perfect name."

"What do you mean?"

"It means beautiful. A beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

"Thank you." She blushed, and I chuckled. I decided I'd make her blush again.

"You're adorable when you blush." Just as I predicted, her cheeks turned even redder. I smiled internally.

"Um, th-thanks."

She handed over my coffee, and our fingers brushed. An electric current shot through me, and my eyes flew to hers, wondering if she had felt it too. The startled look on her face told me she had.

"Here you are. Enjoy," she told me after a moment.

"Thank you, ma'am."

She giggled. "Oh, please call me Bella. 'Ma'am' makes me feel, I don't know, old," she mocked me.

I rolled my eyes at her. "Well, thank you, _Bella_."

I walked over to a table nearby. I hadn't planned on staying here, but I couldn't leave, not now that I had met Bella. I watched her from the corner of my eye. After a few minutes, she was staring off into space again. I longed to know what she was thinking about. I could usually read people easily, but I had no clue what was going on in her mind. I wanted to figure it out. Maybe talking to her would help.

I walked over and asked, "Bored?" Once again, she jumped and blushed.

"You have no idea," she answered after recovering. "My friend and co-worker Angela is sick today, so I can't talk to her, and I'm not allowed to use my cell phone while I'm working, so I have nobody to talk to."

_I can fix that!_

"You're calling me a nobody? I'm hurt." I put a hand over my heart theatrically.

"You'd stay and talk to a random, boring stranger at a McDonald's?" she asked after a moment, surprised.

I thought for a moment. "No. But you're not a random, boring stranger, are you?" It was true. This girl was fascinating; I wanted to know more about her.

"Don't you have anything more important to do?"

Depends on what you call important. Sure, I could go home and work, but, suddenly, knowing this girl was a priority.

"Let's see…I could go home and daydream about this beautiful, interesting girl I met at McDonald's, or I could stay here and actually talk to the beautiful, interesting girl I met." I grinned.

She smiled back at me. _Maybe she would fall for a line like that?_ I thought hopefully.

"Thanks. Now, let me ask you a question. How many girls have you used that line on?"

_Nope, should have known she'd be above that. _

I laughed – as if I'd ever found a girl worth using _any_ line on. I thought about Jessica and Tanya and all the other girls who tried to snag me, with their fakeness and make-up covered faces. "None."

"Really?" she asked skeptically.

"Really. I was waiting for a girl who was pretty, smart, interesting, and funny to come along." Pretty was an understatement. _More like lovely, beautiful, stunning, breathtaking, gorgeous… _

She laughed. "You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were flirting with me."

_Exactly._

Of course not," I replied in mock horror. "That would mean risking getting beat up by your boyfriend."

My heart fell as I thought of this possibility. Of course she'd have a boyfriend. She was perfect. My chances of getting her were zero.

"Yeah, get beat up by someone who doesn't exist – that'd be a first."

"You don't have a boyfriend?"

"Nope." Her lips popped on the 'p'.

My heart leapt. Maybe I did have a chance.

"Why not?" I asked cautiously. Maybe she had a religious thing against dating, or something like that, because there was no way this girl just didn't have a boyfriend. I'd only known her ten minutes and I'd fall over myself to date her.

She shrugged. "No one's caught my eye yet."

Inside, I danced in happiness. I had a chance with her!!!

"So, I'm guessing you don't have a girlfriend, as you were not-flirting with me before?"

_Nope, I'm available!_

She raised her eyebrows. "Unless you're one of those players who flirts with every girl he sees and could care less that he's dating someone?"

I shook my head at her. I thought of what Esme would say if I was like that, how sad she would be. "No, I'm not like that. My mother taught me to treat girls with respect."

"Good, because if you were, I would probably start screaming at you about how girls deserved to be treated better, then I would hit you something heavy."

She was like a kitten, angry but still adorable. I got the feeling she was totally serious though.

"Remind me not to get on your bad side."

She shot me a heart-stopping smile. Literally – my heart skipped a few beats at how beautiful she looked.

"So, what do you want to talk about?"

I thought for a moment. What did I want to talk to her about? What did I want to know about her? "Everything," I decided.

"Okay…"

I'd start with something easy. "What's your favorite color?"

"Green," she answered. Then her eyes widened and she blushed. What was embarrassing about her favorite color? I tried to sort through it in my head, but I drew up a blank.

"Why are you blushing?"

"No reason." She was a terrible liar.

"Riiight. Tell me."

"No." Okay, now I had to know. I knew it would drive me insane otherwise.

"Please?"

"No," she retorted stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest.

Oh, no. I groaned internally at the fact that she had brought my attention to her chest. I had almost forgotten about her amazing body, having been so caught up in her expressions. Almost. _Oh, Bella, why?_

It took all of my self control to bring my eyes up to her face and not ogle her like some idiotic teenager. I internally shook my head to try and remember what we were talking about. It finally hit me.

"Bella, please," I pleaded.

Her eyes widened and she looked dazed. I was worried for a second – what was wrong?

After a second, she recovered. "That's not fair," she complained. She pouted at me, sticking out her bottom lip. My breath caught again as I looked at her lips. The irresistible urge to kiss her came again, and I was surprised by how strong it was. Was this girl trying to kill me?

"What?" I asked, still dazed. I hadn't done anything unfair – had I?

"Oh, please. You can't just dazzle people like that!"

"Dazzle?" What was that supposed to mean?

"I bet you smile ant them and girls do whatever you want. Do you think everyone gets their way that easily?" I thought back. Now that she mentioned it, people, girls especially, usually did whatever I wanted.

"I dazzle people?"

"Probably. Actually, I'm sure of it."

I held my breath as I asked the question I desperately wanted her to answer: "Do I dazzle you?"

"Definitely."

I smiled widely. I dazzled her!

"Okay, that was"… _flattering, ego-boosting, awesome…_ "interesting to know, but back to my question. Why did you blush when I asked your favorite color?"

"Shoot. I was hoping you would forget about that," she mumbled. I laughed.

"Silly Bella, I don't forget that easily. Now please tell me, or I'll use my magical dazzling powers on you." I winked at her.

She rolled her beautiful brown eyes. "I don't think I should have told you that – your ego is big enough as it is."

"Bella, stop avoiding the question."

"Okay, okay." _Finally!_ She blushed. "Wow, this is going to sound really pathetic. Green is the color of your eyes."

I looked at her in shock for a second. Green was her favorite color…because it was the color of my eyes? My face broke into a wide, giddy smile as I asked "Really?"

"Yes."

I couldn't stop smiling as I asked my next question. "Okay, what's your favorite flower?" If I ever brought her flowers, I had to know her favorite kind.

To my surprise, though, she just shook her head at me. "Nuh-uh. I let you ask the last question, I get to ask this one."

"Okay, what do you want to know?" I wracked my brain as to what she might want to ask.

Well, what do you do?"

"I'm studying to become a doctor."

"Really? That's great. Hmm, maybe I'll see you at the hospital some time."

The hospital? Why would I see her there?

She must have seen my confused expression because she explained.

"I'm really clumsy, and I end up injuring myself most of the time, so I'm really familiar with the people at the hospital."

I couldn't decide if I should be worried or if I should laugh. In the end, though, I couldn't help but laugh.

She scowled at me. "I'm glad to see that you think that me hurting myself is amusing."

"Sorry, Bella, I couldn't help it." I grinned, but when she kept scowling, I was afraid she wouldn't forgive me. I was about to apologize when her face broke out into a grin.

"It's fine, everyone laughs about it."

After a while, I moved us to a table so we could sit down and talk. I got another coffee, and got her one too. She protested, saying she could pay for herself, but I insisted. I was transfixed by her words and her motions. She would talk about something and motion with her hands or flick her hair over her shoulder, and her scent would stun me again. I learned a lot about her. She was an English major, and she loved to read, especially the classics. She grew up in Phoenix, and had a little sister named Adriana. But when I tried to ask her more about her family, she quickly changed the topic. I was curious as to why that may be and filed it away for future reference. Nevertheless, I was surprised at how easy it was to talk to her, like I'd known her all my life. I felt a special connection to this girl, and I decided I wasn't just going to let her walk away from me, out of my life.

Suddenly, she glanced at the clock, and her face registered surprise.

"Whoa, we've been talking for a long time."

"Well, you know what they say – time flies when you're having fun. And I was having a lot of fun."

"Me too," she smiled.

I hadn't realized how hungry I was until my stomach growled. "Ugh, I'm pretty hungry now. Can I get some fries?"

"Sure thing."

She went behind the counter to grab me some, and I noticed the sway of her hips as she walked. I ogled her for a bit, until she held out fries for me.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

I started back to the table, expecting her to follow. I got so caught up in the excitement of getting the chance to talk to her – I had so many more things to ask her! – that I spilled some of my fries.

Oh, nice, Edward.

I looked at Bella apologetically, knowing that she'd have to clean it up. She shook her head and smiled at me, wordlessly telling me that it was okay. She reached for the broom, but, just then, a blond lady walked into the restaurant. I did a double take when I saw her – this was probably the fattest lady I'd ever seen! Bella put the broom back and went to take the woman's order.

"Hi, can I help you?" she asked politely.

"Yes, I'd like two Big Macs, a Coke, two large fries, a chocolate ice cream, a large vanilla milkshake, three apple pies, and a Double Quarter Pounder with cheese – oh, and I almost forgot, an Asian salad. I'm on a diet," she confided. "I know you're probably thinking that with my great body, I don't need a diet."

I tried to disguise my laugh with a cough. Her _great body_? Yeah, right! Bella just gaped at her silently, trying to figure out what to say, but she didn't get the chance.

"Yes, that's what everyone says. However, I have to keep my body trim and fit, for all the cute guys out there." Ha! As if anyone would ever go for her. She looked in my direction. "Like him!"  
I glanced over my shoulder, trying to see the poor guy she was talking about. There was no one there. I looked back to the woman in confusion. Then, my eyes widened. She was talking about _me_.

She grabbed her food and began strutting toward me.

"Hi! My name's Lauren. What's yours?" She was trying to be seductive, but I just wanted to throw up. She sat down next to me, with her back to Bella.

Ed-Edward," I told her fearfully. Behind her, I could see Bella's small frame shaking with laughter.

"Oh, I absolutely _adore_ the name Edward!" she screeched. "What a coincidence!"

"Yes," I told her. She laughed as if I had told the funniest joke in the world.

"Well, Edward, my friend Jessica is having a party tonight. Tons of guys have asked me, but I haven't said yes to anyone yet. How would you like to be my date?"

_Never in a million years!_ I wanted to scream. I tried to tell her no without being rude, but I could tell this was a girl who wouldn't give up.

I looked at Bella over Lauren's shoulder. 'Help me!' I mouthed desperately.

'Say please,' she mouthed back, laughing.

I looked down at Lauren, who was inching closer to me and running her hand up and down my arm. I cringed at the feeling of her clammy hand, with its blood red nails, touching my arm. I craved Bella's touch, not this wannabe's!

'PLEASE!' I nearly yelled.

She laughed, then thought for a moment. She walked toward me and flared out her hand, so that both Lauren and I saw the ring on her wedding ring finger.

My eyes widened at her next action. She walked over to me and sat down in my lap as I if it were the most natural thing in the world. My eyes widened, then rolled back into my head as she turned her body toward Lauren. Her body moved against mine and I had to bite my lip to keep from groaning.

"Excuse me, but what are you doing with your hands on my fiancée?" Mm, fiancée, I liked the sound of that.

"Fi-Fiancée?" she stuttered. I stifled a laugh at her expression.

She changed tactics. "You're engaged and hitting on me?" she yelled at me.

"Actually," Bella told her "I recall seeing you asking him to your friend's party. Last time I checked, that is not him hitting on you.

"Well, well, um, I, uh, ugh!" she stuttered. Flustered, she tried to grab her food and walk away. But, she didn't notice the fries that were still on the floor. She stepped on one and slipped. All of her food fell on top of her, staining her clothes and making a huge mess on the floor. Lauren, in the meantime, was lying on the ground screaming.

"Aaaah! I'm going to die! Help me! I'm going to die in a filthy fast food restaurant! No! I have an appointment with my hairdresser at four! I'm too young to die! HEELLLPPP MEEE!!!!!!"

I heard Bella's tinkling laugh as she took in Lauren's predicament. Unconsciously, she moved to get up, but I held her waist. The _thing_ lying on the floor was definitely not worth Bella getting off of my lap.

"Ma'am, are you alright?" she asked.

"No I am not alright! This establishment will be getting a call from my lawyer, and a dry cleaning bill!" she screeched, trying to get up off the floor. "I will make sure that – oh no, I'm going to be late for my appointment with my hairdresser!" She ran, or, more precisely, waddled, as fast as she could out the door.

Bella laughed again, then sighed as she looked at the huge mess on the floor. She reached for the mop and sighed again. My heart ached a bit – she had to clean up this mess, and it was my fault.

I covered her hand with my own. "Thanks for saving me back there. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come along." I shuddered. "And, since this mess is basically my fault, I figure I could make it up to you by cleaning it up."

"Really? Thank you! I hate cleaning up customers' messes. Thankyouthankyouthankyou!"

I laughed at her excitement. It was the least I could do.

She stood nearby, closing her eyes. A small smile played across her lips, and, once again, I wanted to know what she was thinking. I wanted to hold her in my arms and never let her go. I finished cleaning and tried to figure out how to approach her. I wanted to hold her in my arms and never let her go, but I didn't want to be rejected.

_Well, you never know until you try._

Swallowing my uncertainty, I walked up to her and wrapped my arms around her waist from behind. She jumped in my arms, and I hurried to calm her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you." After a second, she relaxed and melted into me. I was once again lost in her scent, and I never wanted to move.

"Anyway, I'm done."

"Oh my gosh, thank you!"

"So, do I get a reward for saving you from cleaning up this mess?"

"Um, sure. What do you want?"

"How about a kiss?" I asked, my voice low as I asked for the one thing I wanted most in the world.

"Hmm… As a rule, I don't kiss strangers." I could tell by her voice that she was just teasing me.

I spun her around to face me. "Please?" I knew I sounded desperate, but I didn't care. I wasn't above begging, not when it came to Bella.

"But I'll make an exception in your case," she breathed.

Those words were all I needed. I leaned down to kiss her gently. Though I tried to be gentle and not scare her away, I soon couldn't resist the instinct to kiss her with everything I was worth. I ran my tongue across her lip, and she granted me access. She twined her small delicate finger in my hair, and I wrapped my arms around her waist, trying to pull her closer.

All too soon, she had to pull away for air. I leaned my forehead against hers, my breathing heavy as I tried to recover from the hottest kiss I'd ever gotten. Soon, I moved my lips down to her neck, wanting to taste her sweet skin.

"Thanks," I whispered against my neck. I brought my lips back up to hers and kissed her again. She smiled against my lips, and I couldn't help but respond with a grin of my own. I was so glad I hadn't found a Starbucks.

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**luv2read134**


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay guys, I'll make this super quick because I have to study for exams. Thanks so much for all your reviews! I didn't reach 100, but I got pretty close. Plus I realized it was mean to ask you for so many. So, this is to make it up to you. Enjoy!**

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I have no idea how long we stood there liked that, joined at the lips, our bodies entwined. It could have been seconds, or minutes, or hours. I didn't know. I didn't care. I was oblivious to everything except _her. _Bella. She was all that I could see, hear, _feel. _

Her delicate fingers running through my constantly messy hair, mussing it up even further.

The soft, exposed sliver of skin at her hip where I was clutching her, trying to pull her as close as possible.

Her long hair tickling my face as she kissed me.

Her mouthwatering smell, a blend of strawberries and freesia that enveloped us.

The taste of her soft lips on mine as our tongues battled for dominance.

Her eyes fluttering closed as she lost herself in the sensations.

Suddenly, she pulled back, her chest heaving as she tried to control her breathing. I glanced at her, feeling the goofy grin spread across my face as I did the same. I knew I looked like the Cheshire Cat, but I didn't care.

She gave me a shy smile back, and I started to pull her in for another kiss, unable to resist. She was just too tempting. She didn't let me, though, putting her small hands against my chest. She wasn't strong enough to push me back alone, but I complied with her unspoken wish, reluctantly relinquishing my hold on her.

Her face turned bright red, a stark contrast from the pale color her skin had been a second before. She opened her mouth as if she was going to say something, but closed it again. "I – I have to go," she finally stammered out, her face darkening.

I could feel the smile being wiped from my face, leaving behind bewilderment.

"What? Why?" I asked wildly, unable to comprehend the sudden change.

She shook her head minutely. "My sister's waiting for me at home. I have to go make dinner."

My mouth wouldn't open for a second, and by that time, she was already stalking away hurriedly without a second glance.

It was only after she turned a corner and I lost sight of her that I realized what had happened. I had just gotten the hottest kiss of my life, and then I had let the girl walk away from me.

I was such an idiot.

I finally got my legs to move, and I ran in the direction that she had gone. I was well-known in my family for being the fastest, and my long strides quickly brought me to the place where she had disappeared.

But I was too late. She was nowhere to be found. I spun around wildly, trying to catch sight of her long mahogany hair, but to no avail. A couple of people passing by gave me strange looks, obviously thinking I was insane, but I didn't care.

She couldn't have gotten away that fast!

I slumped against a nearby wall in defeat. The bricks were rough and uneven, and dug into my back mercilessly, but I didn't straighten up. God, I had been so stupid.

I hadn't even gotten her number.

Crap, I didn't even get her number!

Idiot, idiot, _idiot!_

How was I ever going to find her now? Seattle was a huge city – there were tons of girls out there!

I didn't even have her last name. All I had to go on to try and find her was that her name was Bella, she had brown hair and eyes, she worked at McDonald's, and she was a fricking amazing kisser.

_Wait, she worked at McDonald's!_

Yes!

I knew where she worked! So all I had to do was come back on Monday.

_Monday. _

I didn't want to wait over the weekend until I could see her. I had to apologize. I briefly thought about going all out, and posting ads everywhere until I found her. Alice had once read us all an article about something like that.

_**Flashback**_

_The family was sitting in the family room, the guys watching football, at the edge of their seats as the girls read magazines, sprawled across couches. Suddenly, in the middle of a mind-blowing play, Alice had cried out, "Oh my gosh!"_

_"SHHH!" Emmett shouted back at her, completely absorbed with the events unfolding on the screen._

_Alice let out an indignant "Hmmph," before getting up from her perch on the couch and standing in front of the TV, arms crossed, fixing a glare on Emmett._

_"MOVE!" Emmett yelled, almost in a panic at the fact that he couldn't see the screen. I had to bite back a laugh. _

_"Alice, honey, you're blocking the screen," Jasper had said more gently, wanting to see the game but not wanting to have Alice mad at him._

_Alice had turned her attention to her boyfriend, her signature puppy dog pout on her face. "Jas, you'd rather watch football than listent to what I have to say?" She sounded heartbroken, and Jasper's expression immediately softened. I shook my head. This was just an act so Alice could get her way. This girl was good. Although that shouldn't surprise me, seeing as I had known her since birth._

_"Of course not, darlin'," Jasper said, a slight Southern accent seeping in to his voice. "Come here." He held his arms open to her and she sat down. "Now, what did you want to say?"_

_The bright smile found its way back onto her face as she dove into the story. "So, I was reading this article. This guy met this girl on a subway and he really liked her, but she left before he could get her number or full name or anything. Anyway, he thought she was The One, so he went all out and made flyers and a website and made and ad asking anyone if they knew the girl. Then, in the end he found her and they got married!" Her voice had risen to an excited squeal by the end of the sentence, which she had said all in one breath._

_"You interrupted the game for _that?_" Emmett exploded._

_"What?" Alice defended. "It's so sweet!"_

_"Yes, it is, honey. Now can we get back the game?" Jasper said as calmly as he could, but I still saw the impatience to get back to the game in his eyes._

_She pouted, but Jasper didn't let her say anything, kissing her sweetly. Emmett made a gagging noise before turning back to the TV. I rolled my eyes. As if he could talk - he and Rose were worse. But, as bad as it was, I wished I would find someone who fit me like their partners fit them. But I would never admit it to Emmett or Jasper._

**_End flashback._**

Thinking back, I realized the guy in the article _had _found his "mystery girl" in the end. Maybe I could do the same. _Someone _in this city had to know her.

I banished the idea. I would come off as super desperate. Plus I'd probably scare her off.

I let out a sigh. Looks like I'd be waiting until Monday after all.

I trudged along the sidewalk morosely, kicking a pebble as I walked. It skittered along the sidewalk before coming to a stop, only to have me kick it again.

I couldn't help but think of little tidbits of her as I walked.

The delicate shade of pink she turned when she pulled back.

The way her hips swayed deliciously as she walked away. The way those same hips had felt under his fingers while I was kissing her.

The way her brown eyes were glowing when she pulled back.

_This is not helping!_

I didn't pay attention to where I was going, letting my feet mindlessly take me towards my apartment.

I looked up, not sure where I was. And right there, in front of me, was Bella.

It was a scene out of a cheesy movie. She was sitting at a bus stop, right under the street light. The light seemed to illuminate her from behind, making a halo around her face. A breeze blew by and caused tendrils of her hair to flutter out of her ponytail. All she needed was a white gown, and she'd easily pass for an angel fallen straight from heaven.

Oh yeah. Definitely a scene from a Lifetime movie.

Then I noticed the position she was in. Her head was in her hands and she looked like she was having an internal battle with herself.

The expression on her face stopped me in my tracks. Had she really regretted the kiss that much? I mean, it _was _just a kiss. It's not like we had –

_Don't even finish that thought._

I almost turned tail and ran. But I wanted – _needed _– to apologize.

_Man up, Cullen._

So I walked towards her. My palms were slick with sweat at the thought of her reaction. That one small fact almost scared me more than anything else. This was foreign to me. I never got nervous when I was talking to a girl. _Ever._

I stopped when I was standing in front of her. She still didn't look at me, though. I shifted my weight nervously, wondering if she was ignoring me or just hadn't seen me. At a loss, I cleared my throat, more of a reflex than anything.

Her head snapped up at a dizzying rate, and she looked at me with wide eyes, looking like a deer caught in headlights.

I saw he emotions flicker across her features, so quickly I almost missed them. Shock, embarrassment, shyness, and even – anger? Was she mad at me for kissing her?

I took a deep breath. Well, I was about to find out.

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**I don't know if you have heard, but Daddy's Little Cannibal, an amazing writer here at fanfiction, was recently killed in a drunk driving accident. Please pray for her. The quote of the day is in her honor.**

_**Quote of the Day: **__**People you love don't die. They live on forever in your heart.**_

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	3. Chapter 3

**To Lauren and Liz: WOOOOOOOOO! SCHOOL'S OUT, EXAMS ARE OVER! LOOK OUT HIGH SCHOOL – HERE WE COME!**

**Today was our last day of school! I'm so so **_**so **_**happy and hyper! I don't have to worry about math or history or English or science or Spanish for 2 ½ months! Eek! My summer resolutions:**

**.Wake up earlier than 11:00 am like I usually do in the summer. **Not that it's not great, but then so much of the day gets wasted and when school starts again, I have the hardest time dragging my lazy butt out of bed to get there on time.

**.Spend more time with friends.** Especially one, who's moving to D.C. :( I'm actually going to a farewell party for said friend later today. If I can get there, that is. My mom just called and told me that she wouldn't be ble to drop me off. Gr...

**.Work out more.** I'm not fat, but I'm short and I love to eat. Not the best combo, so I figure I'll work a little harder to stay in shape.

**.UPDATE MORE OFTEN!** I'm aiming for three updates a week. (Don't expect too much. I'm trying to juggle real life as well as four stories. Plus I'm a perfectionist and go over each chapter at least five times.)

**Some other things:**

**One: I am writing two parallel stories. This one will be EPOV and KSF will be BPOV.**

**Two: I made some changes to chapter 1. Bella now has a little sister named Adriana. **

**Okay, that's it. Enjoy!**

* * *

I looked down at her wide brown eyes as they swam with an unidentifiable emotion. Her face took on a faint pink once again.

I saw her take a deep breath before letting it out in a whoosh. "Hi," she said, her melodic voice quiet.

"Hi," I returned, berating myself for being so unoriginal.

A silence fell between us, and I cursed it for being so awkward. Only a half hour ago we had been chatting like we had known each other all our lives! What had changed?

_You kissed her, idiot. That's what changed._

I scanned my mind for something to say, but I drew up a blank. I wished I had thought about this beforehand so I could apologize correctly. Even if I had, though, it probably wouldn't have helped – I would have forgotten anything and everything in my head when I looked at Bella. I wondered if her beauty did that to all guys, or if I was just a hopeless pushover.

I finally got myself together and started to say something, but she spoke at the same time.

"Bella, I –"

"I'm –"

We both stopped, and then let out awkward laughs when we saw the other had done the same.

"You first," she told me.

"No, go ahead," I replied, curious as to what she was going to say as well as grateful for an excuse to delay my apology. Not that I thought apologizing was beneath me or anything – I was just scared as to what she would say.

"It's fine," she persisted.

I gulped. Looked like I wouldn't get my out after all. I ran my fingers through my hair, a nervous habit, but it didn't help at all. If anything, it made things worse because I remembered her fingers doing the same only fifteen minutes ago. The way her little fingers -

_Focus! Apology apology apology._

"Bella, I'm so sorry about what happened in there. I shouldn't have asked you to kiss me. It was immensely rude and not very gentlemanly of me. I don't know what came over me." _Lie. _I _did _know what came over me – desire. But telling her that wouldn't help my case.

"Please forgive me. I know it sounds cliché, but I really hope we can still be friends." I felt strange at the thought that we might not be friends after today. I didn't know why, but it made me feel – sad. More than that. The idea physically hurt me. True, I wanted more than just friendship, but if that was all she was willing to give, I'd take it.

To my surprise, she let out a laugh. I felt my brow furrow in confusion at the reason for her laugh. Not that I didn't like the sound - far from it - but _why _was she laughing? I didn't know exactly what I had been expecting – a slap and rejection, perhaps, at worst, or a declaration that we could only have a platonic relationship, at best. But I wasn't expecting her to laugh. Was she laughing at _me_?

"Why are you apologizing, Edward?" Amusement colored her tone, but there was another emotion in her voice as well – guilt? Or something else?

I was confused, and I'm sure it showed on my face. Why would she be feeling guilty? And why was she even asking me this? I would have thought it was pretty clear.

"Because – I shouldn't have kissed you. It was wrong." The strange, unknown feeling tugged at me again at the word "wrong"_, _and my voice almost broke. I didn't _want _to think of it as wrong. Not when it had felt so right.

She looked sadder, her shoulders slumping down minutely. Her face fell by the slightest degree. I wouldn't have noticed the change if I hadn't been watching her so closely, completely smitten as I was.

"Do you regret it?" she asked, her voice strong and bold.

I was taken aback by her question. I wavered in indecision as I considered my answers. I wanted to give the right answer. But what _was _the right answer? Did she want me to say I did regret it, or did she want me to say I didn't? If I went with the first, she might think I didn't think she was a good kisser or good enough to kiss. And that was the furthest thing from the truth. If I went with the second, she might get mad at me for being an apparent pervert who kissed girls he'd just met and then didn't even say he regretted it.

So - which was it? Did I regret it?

But even as I was going through the possibilites in my hand, I knew I didn't. I could never regret it. It was probably the only time I would ever get to kiss her, and I was glad I had taken the chance. I decided honesty was the best policy.

"No," I responded, my voice sure even as I worried about her response to the word.

A smile spread across her face. She looked almost…relieved?

"Then don't apologize."

I started to protest. I may not regret it, but I knew an apology was owed. "But –"

She pressed a cool finger to my lips, shaking her head and causing the few loose strands of her hair to blow back. I wanted to kiss her finger or tuck her hair behind her ear, but I restrained myself with Herculean effort, doing neither.

"No, Edward. There's nothing to apologize for. It's not like you forced yourself on me. I _let _you do it."

I scanned her expression for the truth, and it shone back at me from her features. I felt my muscles relax. I was relieved that she wasn't angry at me, but also angry at the thought of _anyone _forcing themselves on Bella. Soon, I turned puzzled. If that was true and she wasn't mad at me –

"Then why did you run away from me?"

She sighed and reclaimed her finger, letting it drop to the ground. I missed the warmth immediately, my lips feeling much too cold without it.

"Now it's my turn to apologize. Edward, I'm so sorry about that. I really didn't mean to kiss you and then leave you standing there."

Why was she apologizing? It was my fault, not hers. "But –"

"I left you there because kissing you scared me."

My jaw went slack at the words. "Scared – you?" I said the words slowly, trying to make sense of them.

She had been afraid? Of _me_? The now-familiar tug at my heart came again. I didn't want to scare her. I wanted to comfort her, and relax her.

She nodded. "It was so…un-me. I don't do things like that. It's not my personality. I don't just dive into relationships, and I _definitely _don't kiss guys I've just met.

I broke out into a grin at the words. She wasn't afraid of me – she was afraid of _kissing _me. Not even that - she was afraid of kissing me becasue she'd just met me.

_Well, we would change that soon enough._

For now though, it was enough.

"I should hope not."

She let out a little laugh. "I really am sorry, you know. I just had to get out of there and sort everything through in my head. I wasn't thinking straight."

I couldn't wipe the grin off my face, just as I couldn't restrain from joking around. "Must have been my kissing expertise."

She gave a small smile. "So am I forgiven?" she pressed, not letting the subject go.

"Of course!" I laughed. There was nothing to forgive. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have pushed you."

Annoyance covered her face as she put her hands on her hips. "Don't be ridiculous," she said, her tone implying that I was being just that.

"Well, let's not stand here arguing about who was to blame. We'll just split it equally, okay?" I said to soothe her. I really didn't want to stand around arguing about whose fault it was. If I knew one thing about Bella, it was that she was stubborn.

She shook her head and grinned at me, looking amused. "Okay."

I opened my mouth, starting to take a chance and ask her out some time. Just before I could, though, the bus pulled up, the screech of its tires drowning out what I was about to say. Bella jumped up, grabbing her things. "Oh, this is me. I'll see you later, Edward."

She started to walk away, but I was faster this time. No way I was letting her walk away again. Not without her number, at the very least. My arm snake out and I grabbed her wrist gently.

"Bella, wait!"

She turned, one eyebrow half-raised quizzically. "Yes?" she asked, obviously wondering what I wanted.

I licked my suddenly dry lips nervously. "Do you – Can I have your number?"

Hope filled me as I looked at her, wishing she would say yes. She smiled to herself as if she was sharing an inside joke. And, for some reason, I found myself wanting to know what it was. I was to be in on all of her inside jokes.

She seemed to hesitate, though, and my smile wavered. I knew the bus behind her was about to pull away. I could see the driver looking out at us impatiently, obviously wondering if it was worth his time to wait or not. He was middle-aged, in his forties, with a pot belly and small, beady eyes that were surrounded by folds of fat. The overall effect was that of a pig. As he glanced out at us, I saw him do a double take, his eyes resting on Bella's backside as he looked her up and down. Anger flared up in me at the hungry look in his eyes, as if hse were something to eat. _No one _would look at her like that. I glared at him over her head, a black death look that made him shrink back. Satisfied, I looked back at Bella.

"Give me your phone," she told me. I fumbled for it, pulling it out of my pocket and handing it to her as fast as I could. I was half afraid she would change her mind. She gave me hers as well, and I punched in my number and name.

She gave it back to me with a smile.

"Thanks," I said, truly thankful. I could almost see Emmett in my head.

_Dude, it's just her number. Why do you feel so blessed that you have it? Are you really that desperate? You, my brother, need to get laid._

"No problem. Now, I really have to go." She smiled, and I decided that yes, I really was that desperate. For this girl, anyway.

"Until next time," I said softly. I wanted to give her a proper goodbye kiss, but I was afraid to push my luck. I picked up her hand instead, kissing it gently. This time, it was Esme's voice that echoed in my head.

* * *

I was a high school junior, Emmett a senior. He had wanted to impress a girl, and, when she wouldn't so much as glance at him, he had turned to Esme as a last resort .

"Well, it's obvious," Esme had scoffed. "She's obviously not interested in your usual antics, which, I have to admit, is refreshing. I'm sick and tired of the girls you usually date. They're all so shallow. But, based on what you've told me, this girl is different. You have to be sweet. Sweep her off her feet."

"Um, Mom, if you haven't noticed, sweet isn't really my thing. That's more Edward's forte."

She had placed her hands on her hips. "Fine, then. But you'll never get the girl."

He sighed heavily. "Okay. How am supposed to 'sweep her off her feet'?"

She smiled. "Bring her flowers. And say she's beautiful, not 'hot' or 'sexy'. Pay attention to what she says. Compliment her. Hold her hand. Don't be embarassed to be seen with her in front of your friends. Kiss the back of her hand. Bring her presents that reflect her personality and her interests. You do all of those things, and this girl will swoon. Guaranteed."

"Ugh, that makes me want to puke. It sounds so - boring! I'm not even allowed to kiss her? Just the back of her hand?"

"Of course you kiss her. All the romance in the world is nothing without passion. Just don't dive right in and kiss her mindlessly all the time, like you are prone to doing.

"Hey, I enjoy mindless kissing!"

She rolled her eyes. "Kiss her all you want, Emmett, but the kisses have to mean something. They can't just be empty and lust-filled. Get to know her first."

"That sounds - ugh." He let out a huff of air. "But I'll do it."

"Whoa, Em really likes this girl if he's willing to go that far to impress her!" I crowed.

"Edward, leave your brother alone," Esme scolded him. "You'll be in his position one day too. But, Emmett, make sure your personality shows too. Don't be someone you're not."

"AKA, she's saying that you're not romantic," I informed him. I was having way to much fun with this.

"I am not! Edward Cullen, do not pout words in my mouth. You can be sweet, Emmett, but sometimes you lean more toward being vulgar. Refrain from cursing all the time, and you'll be fine. You can charm a girl if you put your mind to it." She smiled. "Both my boys can."

_

* * *

_

And, skeptical as Emmett was, Esme's advice did work. Two weeks later, he had brought home a leggy blonde named Rosalie. And they had been going steady for almost six years now. He always denied actually using the tips Esme gave him, claiming that he had impressed Rose all on his own. I didn't know how true that was, but I did know that the advice didn't sound half-bad.

Esme's words rang in my ears.

_Bring her flowers. And say she's beautiful, not 'hot' or 'sexy'. Pay attention to what she says. Compliment her. Hold her hand. Don't be embarassed to be seen with her in front of your friends. Kiss the back of her hand. Bring her presents that reflect her personality and her interests. You do all of those things, and this girl will swoon. Guaranteed._

I vowed that, eventually, I would do everything on the list and more. I would sweep Bella off of her feet.

_Kiss the back of her hand - check._

"Bye." Her voice was as soft as mine. I watched her turn and quickly board the bus. I noticed with satisfaction that the bus driver looked too frightened to even glance at her. I watched her take a seat by the window. I grinned and gave her a wave, watching her wave back.

I looked down at the cell phone that I was still clutching tightly in my fist. I flipped it open and scrolled thorugh the contacts. And there she was. **Bella Swan**, the small letters read.

I let out a loud whoop, punching my fist in the air triumphantly. Those seven numbers would be ingrained in my memory forever.

* * *

**Please review (flames welcome).**

**Guys, I have some questions, and I'd really appreciate it if you took the time to answer them in your review:**

**.How do you figure out if a story is awesome? What makes you go, "This story is _amazing!_"** (I get this tingly feeling in the pit of my stomach if a particular line or part is great. If an author can make me feel that frequently in their story, they are officially amazing. But for some reason, when I read over my own work, I don't get that. I'm trying to figure out if it's because it doesn't work on something I've written or if my writing is just suckish.)

**.How do you eat your pancakes?** (Mine are Pillsbury Original and I eat them three at a time – the first with butter, the second with whipped cream, and the third varies between the two depending on my mood.)

**.Favorite flavor of ice cream?** (That's a hard one. Mm – Bluebell Homemade Vanilla. Or Oreo. Possibly mint. Ooh, my friend's mom makes awesome homemade pistachio ice cream!)

**.What are you planning to do over the summer? And what grade will you go to in the fall?** (Two week vacation to Ohio, Washington D.C., Philly and NYC to both sightsee and visit relatives. Rest of my summer will be at home, updating for you guys. :) Going to 9th grade in the fall - eek! High school! If any of you have been there, done that, I'd love some advice!)

**Thanks for humoring me and my weirdness. :)**

**_Quote of the day: The best gift a man can give a woman is his undivided attention. _**

**Luv2read**


	4. Chapter 4

**Firstly: Thank you for humoring me and answering my questions last chapter! Most of you did, which, honestly, I wasn't expecting. :)**

**You might not be able to review this chapter because I deleted my A/N, so the site thinks you already reviewed. If that happens, please just leave an anonymous review (logout and then review). Thanks.**

**Another thing: I won't be replying to reviews from now on. Sorry, the situation is kinda complicated. I will try to get back to you if you have a question, though.**

**Okay, I think that's it. On with the chapter. Enjoy!**

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I couldn't help but whistle as I walked back to my apartment. My phone was still clutched tightly in my hand. I was almost afraid that if I put it in my pocket the number would somehow disappear.

"Hello, Mr. Cullen," Frank, the elderly doorman, said to me.

I smiled back at him, stopping to talk "Hey, Frank. How are you?"

"Can't complain." I smiled. I got the same response everyday.

"And Margie?" Margie was Frank's wife. They had been married for thirty years, but they were still as in love as the day they married. I could tell by the way frank spoke of her.

I had befriended Frank when I first moved in, and I enjoyed talking to him each day. He was kind as well as wise. He was a good friend.

"Doing well. She's knitting sweaters furiously. Our grandkids are coming for a visit this weekend, and she wants them each to have something special."

I smiled at the love behind the action. I had yet to meet Margie, but she sounded like someone I would want for a grandmother.

"And how are you on this fine night? You seem happier than usual." His sharp eyes scanned my face. "Is it a girl?"

I didn't say anything, but my face heated up a bit and must have showed my surprise. He gave me a knowing smile. "Ah, so it is. And what girl could have caught the attention of the elusive Edward Cullen? She must be a special one."

"She is," I murmured, thinking about Bella.

His eyes softened. "You're head over heels already, boy. I know the feeling. Treat her right, and don't let her slip away."

"I won't," I promised both him and myself.

Before I could say anything more, he had ushered me into the lobby. I made my way to the elevator, the doors opening with a muffled _ding. _I stepped in, thinking of Bella. I glanced down at my phone. I scrolled down to her name again, my finger hovering over the talk button. I wanted to call her so badly, even though I had just been with her. I wanted to hear her voice again. I wondered where she was right now. Had she made it home safely? Was she getting ready to go to bed?

My finger twitched toward the little green button, but I slipped my phone into my pocket to be safe. It was better if I didn't call her right now. She needed time to calm down, no matter how much I wanted to wish her goodnight.

The doors slid open, the bell sounding again to alert me that I was on the fifth floor. I stepped off, making my way over to my apartment.

I reached the apartment and put the key in the lock. As I stepped in, I couldn't help but wonder what Bella would think of my apartment. I looked around at the large space. It was beautifully furnished with a very modern taste, but that was more Esme's doing than mine. I kept it neat, but other than that, it looked like any other bachelor pad. All chairs facing the huge plasma screen, not many homey touches, and tons of surfaces to put a beer bottle.

If Bella moved in with me, I was sure she would brighten this place up a bit. She…

_Whoa, back up, Cullen. You just met the girl, and you're already thinking about having her move in? If you keep thinking about her like this, you are going to scare her off._

I had to take this slow. I'd just call and ask her to go out with me, and we'd go from there.

A familiar ring tone filled the room. _Alice._

"Hello, Alice."

She launched straight into a monologue, talking at top speed. "So, you met a girl, right? Oh, of course I'm right. You really liked her? I knew you would! We have to meet her. I have a feeling this is the one for you. Oh, this is so exciting. My loner brother will finally get a girlfriend! Oh, we're going to be like sisters. And best friends! Another sister! You know what that means, right? Another shopping partner! Oh, I hope she has good taste. Obviously she's very beautiful – I knew that just because you were interested in her. And –"

I cut her off. "Alice, phones are for _conversations. _And a conversation involves _both _sides talking. How did you even say that all in one breath?"

"Don't try to change the subject, brother dearest. This phone call is about you and this girl. I can't wait to meet her!"

"Alice, don't get ahead of yourself. I haven't even asked her out yet." I held the phone away from my ear, waiting for the eminent screech. Alice didn't let me down.

"WHAT?" she screamed. "Why didn't you ask her out? It's obvious you like her. Oh, I swear, if I was there right now, I would slap you so hard…"

"Take it down a few octaves, would you? You sound like a banshee."

"Shut up, Edward. Do you realize what you've done? By the time you do ask her out, she could have found some other guy she likes. One who's less annoying than you. By that time, she might already be married!"

"Alice, it is not going to take me that long to ask her out. Besides, I didn't ask her out for a reason," I told her, a bit annoyed with my sister's assumptions.

"Really? And what, pray tell, would that reason be?"

"Because I kissed her."

Another screech came, but I cut her off. "Let me finish. I kissed her, and she kind of freaked out."

"What?"

"She got freaked out about kissing a guy she had just met. Which is understandable. But, we talked, and everything's cool." I kept my explanation short and simple. "So – I decided to give her some time to calm down before springing the date question on her. But I got her number, and I'm going to call her within the next couple of days."

"Oh." She made a small sound of understanding.

I chuckled. "I'm not as clueless with girls as you might think. There's a method behind the madness. Believe me, I wanted to ask her out on the spot so badly." grinned, knowing that she had not expected that. "And, now, sister mine, is there something you'd like to say to me?"

She heaved a sigh. "Sorry I jumped to conclusions," she mumbled.

"As you should be," I said smugly.

"Hey, don't get cocky. You're going to need my help with this girl. We both know it already. So be nice."

"Yeah, I know." I flopped back on the couch, looking up at the ceiling. "She's amazing, Ali. I've only known her for half a day, and I already know that."

Her voice softened. "You really, truly like her?"

"Yeah. I do. I just hope she takes me."

"Don't worry. She'll be lucky to have you."

"Thanks. You're not bad at the whole moral support thing when you out your mind to it," I teased.

She giggled. "Don't get used to it. This is a rare, once-in-a-blue-moon thing. But, like it or not, you are my big brother . I figure that means we have to be nice and loving and supportive a little bit of the time."

I grinned up at the ceiling. "And tease each other all the rest."

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**You know the drill. I beg and plead for reviews to feed my addiction, you press the little green button and write me a little something because you are kind, amazing, wonderful, awesome-tastic people (Is the flattery working? Are you reviewing?!)**

**Next update will be in two weeks – I'm going on vacation. But, in the meantime, feel free to read and review the BPOV of this. It's called "A Kiss with a Side of Fries" (I really like chapter two of that one. Chapter five too. Yes, that's right – chapter five of the BPOV is already up! *le gasp*) Go! Go read it if you want to live!**

**Quote of the day: ****Families are like fudge – best with a few nuts.**

**Luv2read**


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